> The Fall of Nightmare Shadow
>  by Silver Inkwell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Warning
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Star Swirl rolled around in his bed unable to fall asleep easily enough that night, and when he later woke up in a very cold sweat he knew why.

“Oh hell no,” he said, “This can’t be happening, I know that it shouldn’t be, but it is, this is not good, this is so not good, this is very bad indeed.”

And with that said he put on his cloak and went over to Twilight’s castle and knocked very loudly on the door, “PRINCESS, WAKE UP, PLEASE!”

“What is it Star Swirl?” Twilight asked with a yawn as she opened the door quite some time later, “And what time is it anyways exactly?”

“Nighttime or very early morning, but it doesn’t matter, something very bad is going to happen very soon and I have a very bad feeling about it.

I sense it in the air, I feel it in the dirt, I taste it in the water.”

“Is that some kind of famous quote?” she said yawning some more.

“Yes, sorry, wrong movie references, but anyhow this still doesn’t change the fact that something very bad will happen very soon, and I only know that because I can tell and predict the future, and I have never been wrong once ever before, and I won’t this time either sadly enough. So you and your friends must prepare for war, for the first battle and fight will come very soon to us.

So prepare yourselves, for Winter is coming to us very soon.”

“What do you mean by that?” Twilight said.

“Whatever will happen, the bad thing, it starts and begins tonight, but it will end in three weeks on the Eve of the Winter Solstice.”

“Well I don’t see anything bad happening out there,” she said looking outside, “So maybe perhaps you’re a bit off on your timing instead?”

“Maybe, but I’m not ever wrong, in fact it should happen in three, two, one…”

And with that said suddenly a black beam of light stretched up into the sky and even from this distance they both knew it must have been very large and wide for them to see since it was emanating from the Crystal Empire.

“Where is that coming from?” Twilight said.

“The Crystal Empire, it has finally been taken over by Nightmare Shadow,” he said, “And that must have been his plan all along, take over the Empire and spread fear and darkness and shadow and hate over the whole entire land, I just wish that I could have seen this sooner, but he hid his thoughts very well from me, 

I just hope that I can make up for the lost time now.”

And with that said they both stared at the sky beam in silence.

“You better go wake up your friends so I can explain to them the serious nature of this situation,” he said, “And so that they may be ready for what will come.”

“Why can’t we wait until morning?” she said with a yawn.

“I suppose so, but we’ll only be wasting more precious time then,” he said.

“Well I want to know what’s going on here exactly,” she said.

“And I don’t want to repeat myself so I just guess that we’ll have to wait until morning so that we can gather every pony around now, won’t we?”

“I suppose that we will,” she said, and with that they separated apart and away from each other with silence as Star Swirl went to write a letter to the princesses to try to explain to them what was happening exactly.

Morning came very soon and soon enough all of Ponyville saw the black sky beam and looked at it with some slight fear and confusion.

“What is that exactly?” they all said as they gazed upwards at it.

“Oh, that’s just our doom,” Star Swirl would say if he met them.

“It’s really nothing,” Twilight would lie to them.

“Oh it’s really something,” he would say.

“Stop scaring them,” she would say then.

“They need to be scared, they need to be ready and afraid, it just might save them from their own doom, danger, and peril,” he would say.

“You don’t have to be so blunt, cold, or cruel about it,” she said.

“Forgive me if my manners seem that way, but they need to hear the truth even if it hurts them a lot,” he said, “Pain of the truth is only temporary after all.”

And with that said they continued onwards to the town square where they could talk to all the ponies and citizens at one time.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” the mayor said, “I’m having a very hard time trying to answer their questions and control their action too.”

“Don’t worry mayor, everything is fine,” Twilight said.

“Actually everything is not fine despite what you may think or have heard,” Star Swirl said to both her and the whole entire crowd using a spell to amplify his voice, “That sky beam out there shows the sign of our certain doom, but don’t worry, Twilight Sparkle and her friends and me are on it to stop it.”

“What’s going to happen so us?” some pony asked.

“Nothing if we can stop it, your life will continue on just like normal and whatever regular things and stuff that you do, but if we fail to stop it however,” he said with a slight pause after the last word, “Then all your worst nightmares and dreams will come true and be a living real reality, and darkness and shadow and hatred and cruelty and pain and despair and woe and pain will spread across the whole entire land, and all 
will not be good or well.”

And with that said the ponies started to panic and shout very loudly.

“Don’t panic or worry every pony,” both Twilight and Star Swirl said together, “Everything will be just fine and well, we will be able to fix this.”

The crowd stopped running around and shouting and then took a very deep heavy sigh, “But we will need to talk in private,” Star Swirl said to Twilight and her friends but directed his response at them and the 
crowd too.

And with that said Star Swirl gestured for them all to go the castle.

“Oh, I think he’s trying to tell us something through a game!” Pinkie Pie said, “I love games, let me try, he’s saying to go to the castle so we can talk.”

He blinked in some surprise and shock, “Yes, that’s exactly what I mean, how ever did you guess that?” he said.

“It’s just a hunch,” she said bouncing off to the castle.

And with that said they went off to the castle to talk.

“So what is it that you want to tell us exactly?” Twilight said.

“Wait,” he said, “One guest or visitor has not yet arrived still.”

“And who would that be?” Twilight said.

“Well Celestia of course,” he said, “But I have no idea what is taking her so long, she should be here by now unless I am wrong or she is delayed perhaps instead, but I think that we should be hearing a knock right about… now.”

And with that said a knock came at the door and they opened it to see that Princess Celestia was standing there, “Sorry that I am late Star Swirl,” she said entering the room, “But I was delayed in getting here, so please excuse me.”

“You are forgiven princess,” Star Swirl said, “But now that we all are here and gathered together I can finally tell you what is going on exactly.”

“Yes, please do tell us what is up with that dreadful beam of black in the sky, it’s really making the mood and theme and atmosphere go down over here,” Rarity said trying to find a good way and position that she could faint.

> Explanation
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well first let me say thank you for all coming here and joining me today.

Secondly, please do not interrupt me, I will explain it all with due time.

And finally, you must understand that victory does not come without sacrifice.

You see this must have been his plan all along, take over the Crystal Empire and then spread darkness and shadow and fear and hatred and sorrow and pain and despair all over the lands of Equestria. He has hidden his thoughts and ideas and plans very well from me, quite well indeed, so much so that it was not until very early this morning that I finally discovered his end game.

But there is something even more troubling that I also found, I checked our mail and saw letters given to us by him, and there were copies of it on our beds too, and I think that you have not read them so I will read it for you instead.

Dear receiver, if you are reading this then I have already won because I have now finally taken over the Crystal Empire, and all that you must know now is that your doom and end is finally here. Do not try to resist for it is very futile.

All your efforts will be in vain, and nothing that you do can or will change your fates that I have planned for you, but if you do wish for us to talk or perhaps maybe even join me then feel free to come to my new Empire, but if you wish to fight in a battle and war you could also come over here, but you will fail.

I would highly suggest and advise that you do not fight and instead merely just accept your fate and doom. 

You are also invited over here for dinner any time that you want should you ever wish to come and talk with me. But also know this, my power and knowledge far surpass any and all of yours combined or not, for even separated or joined together you are still no match for me. You have no idea what powers and knowledge I hold, and should you wish or dare to fight me in battle and war, well that would be a very foolish thing to do indeed.

Sincerely the Prince of the Night, Darkness, Shadows, Dreams, Fears, Dreams, etc. Nightmare Shadow.

This troubles me very much for many reasons you see, for one, he seems very confident in his powers and knowledge, but not too overconfident, he also seems to be very honest too, and he also wants us to either give up or instead challenge him to a fight so he can have his battle and war too. This makes him a very dangerous opponent indeed, he’s smart, he’s clever, he’s wise, he’s very powerful, he’s very strong, and he has lots of knowledge as well. But I do think that I know where his one and only weakness may lie, one that we have failed to see because we have been so focused on trying to rescue Luna instead.

But we have been wrong about the reason as to why he took her in the first place, he made it look like he was trying to hurt you Celestia.

But in reality he was doing more than just that, he was also keeping a promise too, one that he would do anything to keep, even if it meant that he would die in the end, he wants to bring Nightmare Moon back because she is the only pony that he knew on the moon, and imagine if you were stuck on that barren piece of rock, don’t you think that you would start to care for that pony even if what they taught you was wrong? For you see, monsters are not born, they are very slowly created and formed and shaped into the thing that they are now.

But we have also seen him as wrong too, he’s bluffing, he’s just using illusions and smoke and mirrors to make himself more powerful and stronger than he really is, and though I may not know how he does this, I also know that it probably isn’t better to question it right now, better to ask him instead.”

“Wait, what are you saying exactly?” Twilight said curiously. 

“We accept his invitation and go to the Crystal Empire and talk to him.”

“That’s absolutely crazy, and the stupidest thing that I have ever heard of before,” Twilight said trying to talk some reason and logic into him

“It’s not that crazy or stupid,” he said, “It’s actually quite very sane instead, you see he invited us to the Empire so that means he won’t kill us on the spot even if we do decide to come, so we have a chance at least to talk reason with him.”

“Do you really think that he can be reasoned with if he is as equally insane, crazy, or stupid as you?” Celestia said also trying to use logic and reason too.

“Maybe,” Star Swirl said, “But we have to try this out at the very least.”

“Very well then,” Celestia said, “We will join you if you tell us your plan.”

Star Swirl smiled, “You honestly think that I have a plan in mind?”

“Yes?” she said uncertain if he did since you could never predict him at all.

“Well then you would only be half right, I have one plan and none and many others too, but you see I do have an idea where we can start, but we’re going to need a few more ponies and volunteers to join us, a whole lot more in fact.”

“How many do you need exactly?” Celestia said.

“A whole lot more,” he said again, “Don’t worry though, I know who they are and where they are, but before we go get them there is some pony else that is very special that I must show you, and I will understand your shock and surprise when you see her, she is a bit different and more unusual and odd and strange then when you last her so very long ago.”

“Who is it exactly?” Celestia said as they left the castle to follow Star Swirl somewhere else leading them to this pony.

> The Surprise Guest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well when I found her wandering all alone last night I was both confused, shocked and surprised, and for many reasons that will soon become very clear, but come, we have arrived at where I have hidden her away.”

And with that said he slowly opened the door to reveal that it was… Luna.

“Luna?” Celestia said with some shock and surprise as tears came to her eyes at once, “Is it really you or does my mind and heart and eyes deceive me?”

“I am real sister, and I am finally here for you, and I am very sorry for the pain that my absence caused you, but I couldn’t let him hurt you.”

“Whatever do you mean?” she said.

“I made a deal with him that so long as I stayed within the castle that he would not try to hurt you, and that meant I also couldn’t escape on my own or whether or not the chance and opportunity was given to me by others instead.”

“You shouldn’t have ever made that deal,” Celestia said.

“I know sister, but I’m here now, and that’s all that matters.”

And with that said, they hugged each other.

“Never leave me again like that my sister,” Celestia said.

“Don’t worry,” Luna said, “I won’t.”

> The Plan
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Yes, this is all very well and touchy,” Star Swirl said, but do you want to know what trouble me the most? It is this, why would he ever give up his only weakness, and especially to his enemy? Unless of course she is no longer a weakness or is merely just a plot and plan to distract us from the mission and goal at hoof, or perhaps maybe her mind is being controlled or perhaps maybe she is a changeling instead, but I eliminated all those options last night.

This leaves me with only one possible conclusion, she either must no longer be his only weakness, or perhaps maybe instead he can afford to lose her, or it will not cost him anything to the end to lose in the end if he does give her up now. And that makes him the most dangerous gambler I have ever seen before, we must treat him with respect and caution if we are to accept his invitation, you must be careful not to upset or offend him, act like you care instead.”

“You really must be crazy if you think that this plan could ever work,” Twilight said, “I mean doesn’t any pony else think so? I mean this is madness.”

“MADNESS?” Star Swirl suddenly said shouting, “THIS IS PONYVILLE!”

And with that said suddenly an awkward silence filled the room, “Sorry,” he said, “I was just trying to a line for the main cover poster, that’s all.”

“Okay then,” Twilight said, “On with the show then, any pony object to his plan or shall we continue on with this crazy ridiculous idea and notion instead?”

“Well I for one don’t think that just because you’re a villain that you have to act rude about it and Nightmare Shadow always seems so polite when he’s not trying to kill us or whatever you know, but I am not opposed to this much at all, his use of logic and reason are just too good for me,” Rarity said.

“Honestly I don’t know if this will work, but if he says that this has a chance at working out then I will take it,” Applejack said walking over to his side.

“Awesomeness and kicking some butt? Count me in,” Rainbow Dash said.

“Uh I don’t know Twilight,” Fluttershy said very nervously.

“I have no idea what we’re talking about!” Pinkie Pie said hopping around the room with a very bright smile on her face quite oblivious to the situation.

“Me and my sister are not opposed or against this, and me personally, I want to take down the son of a bitch who imprisoned my sister for so very long,” Celestia said, and with that every pony turned to her in some slight shock.

“What?” she said, “I can use language if I want to, and I can be bad ass.”

“Yeah,” Star Swirl and Twilight said, “But we never expected this.”

“I know,” Celestia said, “Well Twilight it looks like you are not the only one who has doubts about this crazy stupid plan, but you are the only one that is still opposed, so the real question now is this, will you join with us?”

Twilight looked at the group that stood in the middle and center of the room and then she took a very deep heavy sigh, “Yes, I will join you,” she said.

And with that said she went to join the group, “But only because there is no other option or way,” she finished up saying and completing her thought.

“Oh there are plenty of ways and options and doors, it’s just that not all are good,” Star Swirl said, “But now all that we need now is a name.”

“How about the Ponyville Protection Group? Or perhaps maybe the Equestrian Protection Group instead?” Pinkie Pie said very delightfully with much joy.

“Those are both very good,” he said, “But not the best, but I suppose that they will have to do and work out for now, but come, we have other ponies to gather for out group, for we must expand our effort if we are to succeed."

> The New Members
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

And with that said every pony followed him as he walked to the very edge and end of the town and knocked on the door of a very simple and plain house.

“Who do you think lives here?” Rarity said to Twilight.

“I’m not sure exactly,” she said, “But it must be some pony important.”

And then after her question the door opened very slowly to reveal a mare standing there, “Can I help you, sir?” she said very calmly and politely.

“Yes,” he said, “Are Quentin and Chris here right now? I need to speak with them like right now, oh, and should he happen to inquire who it is, just tell him that a star from his past has finally resurfaced and is shining.”

And with that said the mare nodded and went inside the house.

> Meanwhile...
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Quentin? Chris? Some pony wants to see you,” Eve said very loudly.

“I told you that I don’t want to be disturbed,” Quentin said, “But out of my natural scientific curiosity, who was it that was by the door?”

“He said to just tell you that he was a star from your past that has finally resurfaced and once more is shining, those were his exact words.”

And with that said the sound of chairs and papers moving could be heard upstairs and then he quickly trotted downstairs in a hurried rush.

“CHRIS! COME HERE RIGHT NOW!” he said and then, “I can’t believe this, it can’t possibly be him, it’s been too long for him to come back now.”

And with that said the changeling (who was now reformed ever since quite some time ago) came out of his hiding spot while yawning a little bit.

“What is it?” he said trying to contain and his yawn, “I was sleeping.”

“There’s a guest that has come and I think I know who it is,” he said, “And I think that you will be quite very surprised when you finally meet him.”

“The only thing that would possibly surprise me now is getting some sleep in,” he said, and with that they both went outside and found Star Swirl and many other ponies too that were all waiting for them by the looks on all their faces.

They waited outside for this ‘Quentin’ to come out, and they already knew who ‘Chris’ was, he was the changeling that saved Ponyville from disaster and danger and peril in the form of a simple incurable disease, well it was incurable except when the blood of a changeling was used to cure it, and luckily enough for all of them he was so generous and kind to give up his own to heal and save the whole entire town. And after that he had been accepted as an official town citizen (after they banished him) and he was also recognized as a hero in Equestria too, and the last they heard he was doing quite well for himself.

It took quite some before Quentin came out from the house, but when he did he was quite shocked and surprised to see Star Swirl from the look on his face.

> The Shadow Empire
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Star Swirl?” he said with shock and surprise, “Is that really you?”

“It is,” he said, “And I wish that I could say that I came to talk my apprentice, but to be quite honest and frank with you, well, we need your help.”

“Of course, anything for you, but it still is nice to see you once more again,” Quentin said curious as to what ever could be the trouble and matter (but Chris on the other hoof, it looked like he could care less about this).

“Yes, and the same also goes for you,” Star Swirl said, “You see, there is this new enemy that we must face, and I think that we will need your help if we are to defeat him, and I only ask this as a favor and request and also a friend too.

For you see, the enemy that we face, he is very dangerous and smart and wise, and he also has great strength and power, maybe as much as me if not more.

But now at least you know some of the danger and peril that we face, so now I must ask this of you, will you come with us and join our noble crusade?”

“Of course,” he said, “Anything for the old master of mine who taught me.”

“Wait,” Twilight said, “He was your apprentice and you taught him?”

“Yes,” Star Swirl said very simply to her, “My third to be exact, and he did quite well if I might and must add, but the only reason that I didn’t tell you about him when we met last is because I hoped that I would have no need to ever tell his story if the timeline went according to plan as it should have, but now instead it has been altered and it seems like I can now finally show you him, but telling you his story will be something else for a very different day instead.

For now all that you need to know is that he will help us out with this war, and he will fight with us in the last and final battle against Nightmare Shadow.”

“I feel like we should know more about him before we begin battle, I mean what will happen if he or any pony else… well you know… dies…” Twilight said.

“That won’t happen,” Star Swirl said, “I won’t ever let that happen.”

“But you can’t stop it,” Luna said, “And he knows that, in fact he even said to me that if I left the castle it would mean war, but he also said that if I decided to leave him there behind all alone, he said that he would kill my friends.”

“He might try, and he certainly will,” Star Swirl said, “But he will fail in the end because we will be there to stop him, now then, who’s ready for war?”

And with that said every pony let out a great war cry except for Chris, “All that I want is some sleep, or perhaps maybe some food now since I just woke up, but yeah, whatever, war and battle and fighting sound very cool and awesome so I guess that I will join you, but only if I can get some sleep and rest there.”

And with that said every pony laughed and smiled at that.

“I don’t see what’s so funny about this situation at all,” Chris complained as he walked behind the group following them, “I should get my food and sleep and rest just like any pony or stallion or mare should, but I never do.”

And with that said they walked on until the train station and then got on.

“I trust that you all have your invitations?” he said once they were inside.

Desperately in vain every pony tried to find their letter but it was no use for it was in vain, they had all forgotten it back in the castle instead.

“Don’t worry,” he said pulling them out of his cloak (seriously, Twilight thought to herself, what was up with that cloak and how could it carry so much in it?), “I have them right here for you, but this time keep them very close, they could be our only way and ticket in, for you see I detected traces of magical use on it, and perhaps maybe the only way that we can gain access to the empire is to have them, and so I would highly suggest and recommend that you always keep them close at hoof, it would be very bad for you if you lost them somehow, so keep them close, keep them safe, and don’t ever lose them again.”

And with that said every pony took their letters and took his advice and kept them close at hoof and also kept them safe and also a very close eye on them too, and when they finally arrived in the Crystal Empire they still had them.

However when they did finally arrive in the Crystal Empire they found it to be completely empty and not a single pony could be seen anywhere. In fact it reminded Twilight of how it used to be when she came here to face the test and challenge by princess Celestia, one which she happened to pass by the way.

But she knew that this was no test, this was real, and it would have real consequences and disaster if she failed this, and so she could not for the safety and well-being of every pony that lived within these very large vast lands.

“Where is every pony?” Chris said (and he was the first one to state the obvious that every pony else could see right in front of them but would not say).

“Hiding,” Star Swirl said, “That is if there are any ponies left, who knows what Nightmare Shadow might have done with them, but it couldn’t have been anything good, and I would hate to imagine anything that he could or would do them, but come, let us not dwell on those that have little or no hope, and instead let us focus on those that do have hope still left, and let us also focus on our enemy, we cannot be distracted by any pony else on our journey or quest, but come, the castle is not too far away, and it should be very easy to get there since no pony is around, but I just hope that they’re not in the castle, because if they are, than their fate is worse than what you might think it is.”

“And what is their fate exactly?” Twilight said with nervous fear.

“Trust me when I say this, you don’t want to know,” and with that said they walked the rest of the way to the castle in silence, well every pony did except for Pinkie Pie of course, she just hopped up and down obliviously to herself.

“Why is every pony so quiet?” she said, “Is it because there’s no party? Is that why? Well if it is the reason than I can make up a party in no time at all!”

“No Pinkie Pie,” both Star Swirl and Twilight said at once, “It’s not about the party, it’s about something far more serious than any silly tiny little party.”

“Hey mister grumpy pants,” she said to Star Swirl, “My parties are not that silly, but they are very fun, which kind of makes them silly, but the only reason that they are that way is because I am there to make the party fun and silly.

And that is why I can make any pony smile, even you mister grumpy pants.”

“That is such a terrible nickname,” Star Swirl said as they ever got closer to the castle and therefore their goal and destination, “So can you please stop using it? I don’t like it, and when I don’t like something it only brings me pain. And my pain only ever brings me despair and sorrow, so please Pinkie Pie, stop.”

“Okie dokie lokie,” Pinkie Pie said using her very famous catchphrase now.

And with that said they finally reached the base of the castle and went inside.

As they now walked within the castle Twilight finally decided to speak up about something that had been troubling her ever since they had first arrived there.

“There is still one thing I don’t understand,” she said, “Well actually two I guess, one is what happened to my sister, and two is how he ever could have taken over the Crystal Empire so fast, I mean how in Equestria 
did he do it?”

“Perhaps maybe I can answer all your questions right now,” a very familiar voice said in front of them, and when they looked for the source they found none other than their enemy Nightmare Shadow, “Oh, and welcome to the new castle of mine, I’m thinking about calling this castle and my new empire as the Shadow Empire, don’t you think that it has quite a very nice ring to it at all?”

“WHERE IS CADENCE AND MY BROTHER? AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH THEM?” Twilight said very angrily and loudly at Nightmare Shadow.

He merely just laughed at this, “Do not worry for them, they are safe… for now that is, but if you do not behave yourselves then I will have no other choice other than to… well… eliminate them, but that’s not the real point here, the ones that you should be worried about here is yourselves, after all, you came here into my kingdom with your invitations still with you, that is very good.

But come, tell me why you will not play this game with me at all, ever.”

“Because you will not explain what it is or what the rules are,” Twilight and Celestia said, “And how can we play without those crucial pieces of info?”

Nightmare Shadow (or Ness if you can remember his nickname) laughed again, “Oh my dear princess, have I not made the game quite clear enough for you yet? It is a very simple game really with only one goal, win of course. And now I have finally won, I have taken over the Crystal Empire and soon my power and strength will spread across all the lands of Equestria completely covering it entirely, and you cannot stop me no matter what you do, so resistance, it is very futile. And I won’t stop there, I’ll also go across to other lands too, and then very soon enough I will rule the whole entire world, but I won’t tell you my whole entire plan for you and this world and these lands, that would be so very cliché of me, the one you see as a villain telling you their secret plan when they think or rather even claim to know that victory is very close to them and then they boast about all their plans very stupidly if I might and must add. But what’s even worse is that sometimes they decide to play games with the heroes and taunt them, but what’s up with that? But me, no, I won’t do that, sure I like games, you could even say that I might love or enjoy them, but I don’t torture other ponies with mind games and tricks, that comes much later instead after their physical body has been finally broken down and beaten.

But we will get to games and tricks later, the point right now is to rest, relax, and enjoy your final last days together doing whatever you want with any pony that you want to or like or rather perhaps maybe even love instead, I know that there are plenty of ships of two ponies together and I am perfectly fine and okay with that somehow for some random various reason, but it doesn’t exactly mean that I have to like it or them at first, that will come much later of course.

But anyhow please forgive my rudeness and manners, I forgot to offer the complimentary drinks and snacks on which you can dine and eat while we talk, so please hold on for one very small moment while I go get some for you.”

And with that said he got up from the very large dining table and then sat back down “I forgot that I had magic,” he said summoning piles of food on plates of various random shapes and sizes and then set them before his many guests.

“Please eat if you want to,” he said, “Unless you would like to play a game instead, but if we do, then I only have just one question, do you like playing games or would you rather not play this instead and just fight me instead?”

“I do not like the games that you want to play with all of us,” Celestia said.

“Very well then,” he said, “How about we play a different kind of game instead? One that you would enjoy and one that would be relevant to what we want too?

> Chess
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Let’s play a game to determine our fate instead, shall we Princess Celestia?”

“What game did you have in mind exactly?” she asked with some confusion.

“A very simple, very old, very traditional, yet still great and grand game, chess.”

“Why would you ever want to play something a simple and complex as chess?”

“I have my reasons, one of them being that it was the one game I enjoyed playing on the moon with Nightmare Moon, and the others will remain secret.”

“Very well then,” Celestia said, “I agree to play this one game with you.”

“No, princess, do not do this, please,” Twilight said pleading for her.

“Twilight, you cannot stop or change what is about to happen just as much as I can, this must happen, and besides, it is her choice and we cannot make that for her or make her change it instead, so let her play if 
she wants to, after all, there is nothing that we can do to change anything, it is futile,” Star Swirl said.

“Very good then,” Nightmare Shadow said summoning a simple chessboard with white and black pieces and turning the white side towards her, “You can go first since you are a lady, and I am a stallion of manners and will not be called otherwise, I do still have a name and reputation to uphold even if you think that I do not, and of course because of the colors representing us.”

“I don’t know whether that is very generous or clever of you,” she said moving the Pawn in front of her King two spaces forward, a very basic simple move.

“It is both,” he said moving his King’s Knight to F6, “Just because I may be ‘evil’ according to you doesn’t mean that I can’t have any manners for you or my enemy, I am a very nice, kind, and generous leader and pony when I want to be, but of course should you anger me hen you will find me… unpleasant to deal with, for I am not one to show or give mercy to others at a very light cost.”

“What do you mean by ‘evil’ exactly?” Celestia asked moving Pawn G2 to G3.

“There is no objective ‘good’ or ‘evil’ there is only subjective perspective. For example, you think that you are ‘good’ because you save and protect the lives of other ponies from being hurt and protecting them from danger and peril.

You see me as the term ‘evil’, but I am not for I am trying to free all of your minds from the world view that you knew,” he said moving his Knight B8 to C6.

“You have some very odd and delusional thinking, claiming to be good and a hero, how dare you say that,” Celestia said moving Bishop F1 to H3.

“I only dare say that which I know to be true,” he said moving his King’s Pawn two spaces forward blocking the pathway of Celestia’s pawn to move forward.

“Perhaps that is only what you think,” Celestia said moving Pawn D2 to D3.

“I do not think about things, ideas, or stuff, and I also do not presume them, I know them instead, just as I 
know that,” he said moving Pawn B7 to B6.

“Perhaps what you know is wrong then,” she said moving Knight B1 to C3.

“My knowledge is rarely incorrect or wrong,” he said moving Pawn H7 to H5.

“That is perhaps what you only think,” she said moving Knight G1 to F3.

“Do I have to repeat myself once more again?” he said moving Pawn D7 to D6.

“Only if you want to do that, it’s your choice,” she said moving Pawn A2 to A4.

“You know that the one to lose at this game is the usually the one who makes the first mistake in this, right?” he said moving his Rook H8 to H6.

“Oh, I know that, which is why I will win,” she said moving Rook A1 to A3.

“That’s very good then,” he said moving Pawn H5 to H4 putting it at risk.

“Your move does not fool me at all,” she said moving Bishop C1 to G5.

“Clever girl,” he said, “But you’re not as good as me. I spent centuries at this game, do you really honestly think you can beat me?” (Knight C6 to B4.)

“I don’t think that so,” she said, “I know it to be so.” (Bishop G5 to F6.)

“You may have taken my Knight, but I will take your Bishop now to pay the price and debt of the life that 
you have taken from me.” (Pawn G7 to F6.)

“Yes, but now you have opened your pathway to your own defeat in the end, and so I must thank you for your silly little mistake.” (Pawn G3 to H4.)

“I doubt that very much, Princess,” he said moving his Pawn A7 to A5.

“Well you better believe it, because it will happen.” (Rook H1 to G1.)

“Perhaps, but maybe not, and now your Bishop will die.” (C8 to H3.)

“And so will yours too,” she said moving her Rook G1 to position G8.

“A worthy sacrifice for a far greater goal in mind.” (Rook H6 to H4.)

“What is your end game exactly?” she asked moving Rook G8 to F8.

“Why it is to win, same as it always has been,” he said. (King E8 to F8.)

“If your goal is to win, why put yourself in check?” (Knight F3 to Rook H4.)

“You’ll see why, eventually, if and when I win this game.” (Pawn C7 to C5.)

“I’m sure I would if I did not have the advantage right now.” (Queen D1 to F3.)

“Perhaps I am only letting you have the advantage right now, have you ever considered that slight thought or possibility?” (Bishop H3 to D7.)

“I have, I consider all of my moves I can make first,” (Knight H4 to F5.)

“So do I, but I also consider my enemy as well too,” he said. (Queen D8 to E8.)

“I consider my enemy as well too, and it seems we are tied.” (Bishop F5 to D6.)

“Tied and matched, yes perhaps, but only one may and will win in the end, and I will not allow you to win against me and my plan. You cannot win against a force that you do not fully know or understand,” he said. 
(Queen E8 to E6.)

“Yes, and at the end it will be me that stands victorious.” (Knight D6 to B7.)

“Perhaps, but not without great loss and death on your side.” (Pawn F6 to F5.)

“No war can be won without some loss or pain,” she said. (Pawn E4 to F5.)

“Good, you are learning that which I have taught you.” (Queen E6 to H6.)

“Yes, and I know that in the end I will have to make the greatest sacrifice that there can be, and I know 
there is nothing I can do to stop it.” (Pawn F5 to F6.)

“At least now you are ready and willing to make it,” he said. (Queen H6 to C1.)

“Thank you for saying so, my opponent and enemy.” (Queen F3 to D1.)

“Did you know that my goal from the start was to actually take your Queen? Even if I lost I would still have 
one last great victory.” (Queen C1 to D1.)

“And now you have your victory, but I will still win,” she said. (King E1 to D1.)

“I know that you’ll win now with the advantage that you have over me. But I am more than willing and ready to face it and accept it too.” (Bishop D7 to G4.)

“How is that so? Aren’t you afraid to lose to me?” he said. (King D1 to D2.)

“Not really, and I’m not afraid of death either, but the real question to ask here is this, are you afraid of death? Or will you accept it?” (Bishop G4 to F3.)

“I actually really don’t know how to answer that question.” (Knight B7 to D6.)

“Of course you don’t, I would be genuinely surprised if you did, for few ponies will accept and be ready for death, and I am one of the few.” (Rook A8 to D8.)

“And can you please tell me why that is exactly so?” (Knight D6 to C4.)

“Because I know the real truth, and you do not know it.” (Bishop F3 to D5.)

“Perhaps you only think that you know the ‘real’ truth.” (Knight C3 to D5.)

“You know I hate it when I have to repeat myself, right?” (Knight B4 to D5.)

“Then perhaps you should stop repeating yourself then.” (Pawn H2 to H4.)

“I wouldn’t have to if you didn’t make me do it Celestia.” (King F8 to G8.)

“I am not making you do anything, you act on your own.” (Pawn H4 to H5.)

“You know, you’re so annoying at certain special times.” (King G8 to H8.)

“Oh Really? I did not know that, thank you for telling me.” (Pawn D3 to D4.)

“You’re welcome, but I am saying that only because you make me want to kill you sometimes, and I know that I can’t, not yet at least.” (Rook D8 to G8.)

“Why are you even still fighting if you know that you will lose in the end? It just doesn’t make any kind of 
logical sense for you to continue.” (Pawn D4 to C5.)

“I would never give up a fight or battle without giving it my all and my very best, after all, I’m not one to quit 
and give up very easily.” (Pawn B6 to C5.)

“Well then, you’re either very stupid or very crazy to do so.” (Knight C4 to E5.)

“Or perhaps maybe I am just brave instead, have you ever considered that? Or are you just the type of pony that has only one focus and thought and idea in that little tiny head of yours?” he said tauntingly 
moving his Pawn C5 to C4.

“I resent being called that, or even being insulted, especially by you, and don’t you know that you should always treat a lady with kindness and respect? Or did you not learn any manners while you were up there on the moon?”

(She moved the Knight E5 to F7 taking a pawn and making it a ‘check’.)

“That is a very smart, wise and clever move that you made.” (King H8 to H7.)

“Thank you for saying that so, but you do realize and know that you’re stuck for now until I move another 
piece of mine, right?” she said. (Pawn C2 to C4.)

“Oh, I do, and I can’t wait to see what you will do now.” (Rook G8 to F8.)

“I think you’ll be very interested in what I do to you now.” (Knight F7 to G5.)

“I see that you’ll be going around in ‘check’ circles then.” (King H7 to H8.)

“That depends on what you define as a circle exactly.” (Pawn F6 to F7.)

“Very mart, wise, and clever, forcing me to choose between losing my rook or you gaining a Queen, well done Princess Celestia. It seems like that you are indeed very good at this game as you have claimed,” 
(Rook F8 to Pawn F7.)

“And now you’re back in ‘check’ once more again.” (Knight G5 to Rook F7.)

“Not for much longer now if I can help it out anymore,” he said trying to vainly and desperately delay the game and his eventual defeat too. (King H8 to H7.)

“Actually you’ll be really stuck right in there now, hope you like your little trip of lonely isolation, because it won’t be an ounce of fun.” (Rook A3 to G3.)

“I see that you have trapped me into a stalemate, well done. But I still have pieces on the board that I can still yet move you know.” (Knight D5 to F6.)

“This is a pointless effort that will only delay your defeat.” (Rook G3 to H3.)

“The longer that I can stay alive, the better for me.” (Knight F6 to Pawn H5.)

“This is just a sad desperate pathetic attempt at life.” (Rook H3 to Knight H5.)

“At least I am still fighting for something, and even if I fail I still gave it my best. Can you say that about all your quests, duties, and tasks?” (King H7 to G7.)

Celestia was silent, she couldn’t say that about all that she had ever done in life, and it seemed even though he would lose this game, he won the talk.

(And Celestia moved her Knight F7 to E5 without a single word being spoken.)

“That’s exactly what I thought you would say, you’ve failed in some things while I have not every yet failed once,” he said moving his King G7 to F6.

“Just because I may have failed does not mean I did not learn from it, in fact it has made me become stronger and smarter with time.” (Knight E5 to D7.)

“I would expect nothing less from a leader like you,” he said. (King F6 to E7).

“And I would expect that this has some kind of lesson to be learned from this simple yet complicated game that we are playing?” (Knight D7 to Pawn C5.)

“Yes, that is correct, there is one to be learned from this, but if you ever did listen to me, you would already know what it I by now, but if you did not… well let’s just say you won’t like the end of this,” he said moving his King E7 to E6.

“I think I might know what lesson you want me to know.” (Knight C5 to D3.)

“Oh, and what I that exactly? Please do tell me Princess.” (King D6 to C6.)

“I think that you want me to know that a battle or a fight or even war, it does not come without its cost or price to pay in the end.” (Rook H5 to A5.)

“So, you have been listening to me, that is very good then.” (King C6 to B6.)

“I have, but you do notice that you stand alone now in the end? You have no more pieces to help you out or save you from certain doom, just like there will be no pony to help you out or save you in the end.” (Pawn B2 to B4.)

“It does not matter if only I stand alone in the end, for I need no pony else to help me out, I can win or lose this game on my own and in the end, that’s all that really matters now, isn’t it? Victory at any cost or price.” (King B6 to C7.)

“I can clearly see that since you will not give up this battle or fight, for you must be very stupid, stubborn, and crazy to do so.” (Rook A5 to A7, Check.)

“Or perhaps I only appear that way dear Celestia, and do I need to repeat myself once more again? It is growing very tired on me now.” (King C7 to D6.)

“You don’t need to repeat yourself, you just need to be heard.” (Pawn B4 to B5.)

“I know that, and thankfully you’re still listening to me, even if the others will not and stubbornly choose to ignore me at their own peril and risk of their own lives, I thought that they would be smarter than that for sure.” (King D6 to E6.)

“They are smart, which is exactly why they won’t listen to you, both for their own good and for the good of the lives of other ponies too.” (Pawn B5 to B6.)

“Then that is their own choice and fault sadly enough then.” (King E6 to F5.)

“It is their own choice, but it will not be their own fault in the end, it will be mine, I let this was between us come too far now, and now I must pay the price, and the other ponies will suffer because of it.” (Pawn B6 
to B7.)

“Well then, I hope that you can learn from your mistake choice and then grow from it, I would be very disappointed if you did not do so.” (King F5 to G4.)

“I will, you can count on that as the day will surely rise.” (Pawn B7 to B8.)

“Very clever metaphor princess, and I see that your pawn is a Queen now, how very metaphorical of what will soon come to pass shortly.” (King G4 to G5.)

“What do you mean by that exactly?” she asked moving Queen B8 to G8.)

“What I mean is that your ‘Queen’ will die, and another will replace her, I don’t know who it will or might be, but Star Swirl, he would probably know, he is after all, very wise, and also a wizard, ask him for the details later when you can, because I will not spoil the ending of this ‘our’ story.” (King G5 to H5.)

“Sometimes you make no sense at all, who is supposed to represent my ‘Queen’ in this game if it is not me? 
For surely I would be the ‘Queen’ in this game, right? Or perhaps maybe I am just wrong instead.” (Rook A7 to A5.)

“You’re wrong, you represent the King as do I, but as for your ‘Queen’, well let’s just say that I will reveal her identity after this game is done and over with, after all, I wouldn’t want to ruin the surprise for you, now would I my dear princess? We can’t have any spoilers to ruin our fun.” (King H5 to H6.”

“Fair enough, but what is so important about revealing the metaphorical representations of the pieces after the game is over and finished with?

For surely you have nothing to lose by telling me, right?” (Knight D3 to F4.)

“I have nothing to lose, you’re right, but I have nothing to gain either, so you’ll just have to be patient with me and wait for the answer, but it seems that you will not have to wait for very long since you have checkmated me and won the game, well done Princess, and well played. And for that I shall reveal the identity of your ‘Queen’, the pony that it represents stands with us tonight in the crowd, and you should know her very well Princess, after all, she is your sister, the ‘Queen’ represents Luna, she is going to die tonight if you succeed in defeating me, so I must ask you this, do you really want to take that risk?”

“You lie, there is no way that my sister can die tonight in this war.”

“Well, if you insist, but don’t say that I didn’t try to warn you before this will happen, for nothing that you try to do can save her life from her fate or doom.”

“Perhaps not, but I sure am going to try to do everything in my power to make you pay for what you did to her you son of a bitch,” Celestia said to him.

“Very well then,” he said clearing the game away, “If you wish to fight me in battle then we will do so, but be warned, there is no victory without sacrifice.”

> Attack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

And with that said they started to attack each other while the rest of the other ponies watched in horror at the event. They didn’t know what to do now just as much as the chess game since they had all watched that with great intensity and silence, even Pinkie Pie too. And now they stood watching this scene unfold before them and gazed at them with wonder and awe as they battled.

“Do something!” Star Swirl said, “Attack! Help her! Don’t just stand there!”

And with that said they all started to leap into action, literally in some cases.

Pinkie Pie pulled out her party canon, Applejack actually leapt into action, Rarity tried to use her magic to blast him, but Fluttershy, she just tried to hide in a corner away from the action, the princesses all flew at 
him trying to use their magic spells to blast him too, and Quentin looked like he was considering some plans within his head for he had a look of very deep contemplation on his face, and Chris just stood there not knowing what to do to help out exactly.

If one looked at the scene right then at that moment they would have to see it in slow motion in order to see what fully was happening and going on. But despite all that was going on Nightmare Shadow dodged all the attacks very easily enough and then he yawned as he deflected the spells away from him.

However Fluttershy and Chris still stood not knowing what to do, but after a few wise and kind words from Star Swirl they actually did know what to do now. “Fluttershy,” Star Swirl said, “Call the animals to help us out please.”

“But I don’t want them to get hurt,” she said very nervously trying to hide.

“And what happens if they do get hurt, what will I say, what will I do?”

“Fluttershy, please help us out, you have more strength and power than you know, but the only way to use it is if you are willing to access it at last.”

She whined very nervously with fear and said, “Alright, I’ll help out, but there aren’t any animals around here so I don’t really know how I can help out now.”

And with that said she very nervously and slowly approached the fighting in the middle and center of the room, but Chris still stood still.

“Chris, I have an idea for you,” Star Swirl said rushing over to him and then whispering very softly and close into his ear, “Change into other ponies to try to distract and confuse him, and try to get close to attack him, 
please.”

And with that said Chris tried to do so as he got closer to Nightmare Shadow.

However no matter what they all tried to do together they failed many times no matter what they tried to do, magic, distractions, physical attacks, none of it worked, he deflected the magic easily away enough and could fight just as well and even better than some in fact, and he could fight and block magic at the same time, and he saw through any distraction before it even came close to him, “I see that you have a changeling here,” he said, “How very nice.”

And with that said he tried to cast a spell on Chris, but it was blocked by either Twilight or Star Swirl or Quentin or Celestia or Luna or Rarity every time.

“ENOUGH!” Nightmare Shadow said flinging every pony in the room back after their many failed attempts, “I grow tired and bored of this silly game now.”

“Why did you invite us here if you knew that you would only grow bored and tired of us? Why invite us here right now? Why do you dare challenge us?

What are you trying to hide from us exactly? What do you want?” Celestia said.

“What I want is to keep a promise, Luna must be returned to her former real and true self, but despite all my attempts on her in my castle, I still failed.

She still resisted me, she resisted just like what you are trying to do right now. But if there is still one thing that I don’t know or understand about you it is this, it is why you still continue to fight even if you know that you will lose in the end, even if you know that you will lose something in the end you will still fight for what you believe in, and I actually have to question why that is so.”

“Because if we do not fight for something than what is there to fight for?” Celestia said, “If we have nothing to believe in, how will we ever have faith?”

“That actually makes sense,” Nightmare Shadow said, “But it is still so very stupid of you, and for that you will pay a very dear heavy price indeed.”

And with that said he pulled out something very familiar to Twilight and the princesses, but not to all the others, “I had hoped not to use this,” he said raising it high above his head so that all of them could see it very clearly, “But you leave me no choice, there is no other way now that I can get what I want.”

And with that said Luna started to back away in fear, “No… not that… not again… please no,” she said trying very desperately in vain to get away.

“Is that what I think it is?” Twilight said pointing at it in fear, shock, surprise, and horror too, for what he held was a dark red broken unicorn horn.

“Oh yes it is,” he said, “This is the horn of King Sombra himself, and while you may have defeated him Twilight Sparkle, you still neglected to try to find any race evidence of him, but I did, and guess what, I finally did find something eventually after much searching for it, and you wouldn’t believe or have any idea of how much actual power this holds even if it is dark, but I can control it. I know how to, and I also know that this does quite well in the matters of mind control and manipulation, so now I must ask this, how can you fight me when you will be so very busy fighting one of your very dear close friends?”

And with that said he slowly approached Luna easily dodging all the vain attacks whether it be physical or 
magical as they tried to block his way to her.

“Hello again,” he said, “You know of its power, and you also know what it can do, don’t you? After all, why would you shake and tremble in fear if you did not?” he said very casually moving the horn up to her neck.

“I do,” she said very nervously with fear, “But please, don’t do this to me, not again, don’t use it, it hurts so much whenever you try to use it on me.”

“I know that,” he said, “And I’m sorry for the pain that I caused you, but it was the only way that I could get to you, but it never worked, but now at the height and peak of my power I think that it might just actually work now.”

“And what if it doesn’t? What will you do then?” she said.

“Well I think that you already know that, after all, I did say that if you left my castle that I would consider you my enemy and that you would pay for your treachery, but now your friends will also pay, and they will finally see the real and true version and image of yourself that I have seen on the moon.”

“But that was so very long ago, I’m different now, I have changed.”

“Yes, you have, but only because others changed you with magic, and I can do the same to you again, but this time you will be restored to your true self and then you will finally have your real power, isn’t that you wanted from me? For us to always be together ruling a kingdom of darkness and shadow

“That was then, this is now, things have changed, but you can’t seem to accept that, and it is only those that can accept change that can ever really improve.”

“I can accept change, it is you that cannot really ever accept it at all.”

“How dare you accuse us of not accepting change?” Celestia said.

“Aren’t you the one who wants things to stay the same in your kingdom?”

“Only so that things are easy, and no other reason.”

“Oh I think that there are plenty of reasons for this,” he said calmly.

“And what could they possibly be?” she said.

“You know full well, but I will still say so that they will know. One is that there is no rebellion, and another is because you like the power that you have.”

“If you really think that then you know nothing about my past at all.”

“Don’t I? I know that you defeated Discord and banished your sister to the moon just because she was jealous of you and tried to take her rightful place, that’s just harsh, but you’re not as strong as you might think that she is.”

“I’m much stronger than you might think I am,” Celestia said, “And besides, it is not just me, I have my friends, and we can defeat you together.”

“You have nothing on me, I have an army of darkness and shadow behind me, one that will spread fear and chaos across the whole entire land.”

“We have a Fluttershy,” Star Swirl said.

And with that said every pony turned to him, “What?” he said.

“What I think you meant to say is that we have something even more powerful than anything that you claim to have, we have the magic of friendship.”

“Oh yes, the ‘magic of friendship’, how great and powerful,” he said very sarcastically, “But go ahead, try your magic on me, I’m ready.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Celestia said, “You want us to attack you?”

“Yes,” he said, “Use your elements against me, I want to reveal my wild card that I have in my deck of cards, I think that it will shock and surprise you.”

“I know that you’re hiding something, but I don’t know what it is,” Celestia said, “But I will humor you nonetheless, you can attack him now.”

And with that said the Main 6 nodded and stood together in a circle uniting their hoofs as they slowly raised off of the ground as powerful magic enveloped them, and then together they blasted their magic at Nightmare Shadow.

There was no possible way that he could have dodged the magic, or one that he could ever deflect it, but somehow he did as a shield of black and red and green suddenly formed around him the instant that it got too close to him.

And then once they stopped blasting him with their magic out of both shock and surprise he took a deep heavy yawn, “Is that honestly the best that you have? To be quite honest and frank with you, I am very disappointed.”

“How is this possible?” Celestia said, “This cannot be, this is impossible!”

“Nothing is impossible princess, you should know that by now, it’s just a matter of probability and plausibility, and let me assure you that this is both.

For you see I knew that you would use your classic moves against me soon enough eventually, but how to stop it, I thought to myself, and then I found my answer, have a source of power equal to theirs, but where to find one, I thought again, and then that answer came with your friend Star Swirl over there.

For you see many years ago he found something very powerful and dark, something that should have been left where it was, but he took it for himself so that he could study and examine it. But over time he eventually lost one of them and knew that he could no longer keep them and so he hid them in the cold icy frozen lands of the north. And he hid them quite well if I might and must add, but he couldn’t hide them away from my sight and gaze forever, and so I eventually found all of them, and that is what is protecting me now.

But what are they exactly? I’m glad that you asked, behold the long lost and forgotten Elements of Chaos,” he said holding up six gems.

Every pony gasped at this in shock and surprise, there was no way that there could ever be such a thing as the Elements of Chaos, right?

“I don’t blame you for your shock, I was surprised too, I thought they were myth and legend too, but I unlike you, actually tried to find them.

And even though most were in vain, this one was not in the end.

But in case you were wondering how or why this is possible at all, well, let me tell you, for every action there is a reaction, for one side of a coin there is another, for one win or gain there is a cost even if not to you but others instead, for every cost there can be reward, for light there is darkness and shadow, and for order and harmony, well there’s chaos of course.

For you see everything in life has its opposites, even I do.

The only trick to matching something else is to be equal in power to it.

And just one of these alone can match all the strength and power of yours.

In fact I think that you are already familiar with this one,” he said holding up the Alicorn Amulet, the one that Trixie had worn when battling Twilight.

“The Alicorn Amulet, such a deceptive yet so much accurate name, for within this stone it holds the power of an alicorn, one that was betrayed of course.

For you see if Trixie had the real gem of power, well Twilight could never have won against her alone, and she probably would be doing whatever by now.

But me, I do have the real gem of power, and for that you should worry a lot.”

And with that said he put on the Alicorn Amulet over his head and latched on his neck and then put the others back in his armor that he wore now.

“I only need one to match you, but to defeat you I think that I will need all of them plus a very special some pony to help me rule the kingdom together.”

“NEVER!” Luna said, “I WILL NEVER JOIN YOUR CAUSE YOU STUPID FOOL!”

He growled in anger at this and then shouted, “YOU DARE CALL ME A FOOL?
IT IS YOU THAT IS THE FOOL! BUT TO PROVE JUST HOW FOOLISH YOU REALLY ARE I WILL ADD TWO 
MEMBERS TO YOUR GROUP TO BATTLE ME!

AND THEN WHEN YOU ALL LOSE WE WILL SEE WHO THE REAL FOOL IS!”

And with that said he cast a spell and suddenly Princess Cadence and her brother Shining Armor were there even if they seemed confused and lost.

“Cadence?” Twilight said trying not to cry, “Is that really you?”

“It is,” Cadence said walking over to her and putting a hoof on her shoulder, “But in case you have any doubts about me, let us do it.”

And with that said they both did their little classic dance that we all love and adore (or at least most do, I’m sure there are those that hate it somehow).

♪ Sunshine, sunshine, ladybug’s awake, clasp your hooves and do a little shake. ♪

“How so very sweet and adorable, and horrible,” Nightmare Shadow said.

“It is not that horrible,” Twilight said walking over to her brother, “And I’m very glad to see you too, but how did he manage to take control anyways?”

“By using my gems of course,” Nightmare Shadow responded to her.

“Yes,” Shining Armor said, “He overwhelmed us within minutes and we were completely helpless to do anything and then he trapped us somewhere deep and dark, we couldn’t see anything at all, but now I’m 
out at least.”

“Not for very long,” Nightmare Shadow said, “But still, cherish what you have.

That is a very good thing to do since you won’t have much left to cherish soon enough, for soon my plan will be complete, and darkness and shadow and fear will rule all of Equestria, and then you will all finally bow before me or die if you do not wish to do so. That will be the end result of this little tiny game.

But let me do try to warn you about this one thing, should you succeed in your goal and quest of defeating me then eleven shall die, think about that, eleven innocent ponies will die tonight if you do not surrender to my will now.”

“What do you mean by that exactly? You can’t do anything until the solstice, and besides, no pony will die if I can help it,” Celestia said very angrily.

“Oh, I’m sorry, let me explain, I put a spell on this kingdom so that time would flow very differently, so while you were talking away for as long as you have many weeks have passed in the real world, and now I no longer need the spell.”

And with that said he clapped his hooves and suddenly the dark cloud that had surrounded the whole entire kingdom dropped down to reveal the winter moon, “In fact it is almost midnight of the new day, or rather night I suppose.”

“You may have used a time spell,” Celestia said, “But I sensed one as soon as I entered and I knew that I had to do something, and I also knew that I forgot one pony to invite to our team in our rush to defeat you and leave, but I sent a letter to him and if he’s read it by now then he should be here by now.”

“And I am,” a very familiar voice said, “Did you doubt that I would come?”

“Since you’re a royal guard I will say no,” Celestia said with a smile.

And with that Flash Sentry grinned, “Good, I was worried there for a second.”

And then Twilight ran over to him and hugged him, “I’m glad to see that you’re here,” she said, “We need all the help that we can get against him. And I’m also glad that we didn’t just bump into each other again.”

“I know,” he said, “Maybe we should bump into each other now?”

“Please,” Star Swirl said, “Don’t make this love any more cliché than it needs to be, and while I may not be against you two, many fans still are.”

“Huh?” they both said in some slight confusion at this very strange comment.

“Oh you know what, never mind now, let’s just defeat him, shall we?”

And with that said every pony gathered around Star Swirl in a circle.

“Equestrians,” he said, “Let’s assemble! For tonight we dine in hell and drink the blood of our enemy!” And with that said very pony shouted a very loud cry except for Fluttershy who looked like she was ready to throw up instead.

“OH COME ON!” Star Swirl said, “That was just a metaphor, okay? We’re not really going to dine on his blood because that would just be plain gross, stupid and crazy, and I don’t think any of that quite match that 
combination.”

“I might!” Pinkie Pie said jumping up and down with glee and joy.

“No Pinkie Pie, you don’t, you’re just strange and unusual, a bit more than ‘normal’ though, and you’re also very odd and mysterious too I think.”

“Well duh!” she said, “I mean no pony else knows that they’re being watched by millions of fans worldwide, but I do, and that’s the greatest secret ever!”

And with that said Star Swirl turned to the screen and temporarily paused time, “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “This has been your appointed fourth wall break through as commanded and written by the author, 
you’re welcome, and now if you don’t mind I’ll actually get back to the story now.”

And with that said he clapped his hooves together and time went on as it did before, which was normally by the way. “If you honestly think that you can defeat me then you really are fools, and by the way, you can’t protect or prevent lives from being taken tonight Celestia, even if you tried to.”

“But I will still try, and that counts for something in the very end.”

“Only if what you try is for something truly great and glorious and not just something that you believe is that way, which is exactly your case by the way.”

“You really do have an interesting mind complex Nightmare Shadow,” Celestia said, “You say one thing and then another and act completely different.”

“That is only because I do not wish to reveal my true self before the end, which you ponies have already done, but enough talking, I grow tired and bored of this, midnight is here and there is no way that you could ever possibly stop or defeat me, and once I have taken on my new shape and from I will no longer need this body and therefore I will no longer be connected to Luna anymore.”

And with that said suddenly Luna knew how to defeat him, but she was still being held in place by his magic even though he had let her go from his grasp while he had held the broken horn of King Sombra at her neck, it was a very good thing that he got distracted from all the dialogue taking place, but now he held her with the horn at her neck once more again, but she now knew that this was a bluff, he wouldn’t kill her yet, not before midnight at least, but after midnight he could do anything that he wanted to, even kill or change her.

“Sister,” she said, “I know how to defeat him, but you have to trust me on this, don’t doubt anything I say or otherwise we will fail, do you understand?”

“Yes my sister,” Celestia said, “I am ready, what is it that must be done now?”

Luna tried to speak out but before she could both her voice and mind were cut off from Star Swirl and Celestia and every pony else just in case, but before she was trapped with his very powerful dark magic they did manage to hear some last final words from her that were cut off short due to the magic, “He’s bluffing, he wouldn’t ever really kill me, well at least not before midnight, but you have to take the horn of King Sombra from him and…” 

And with that said Star Swirl and Celestia looked at each other in some slight confusion, “Do you have any idea what she’s talking about?” Celestia said.

“Me? I thought that you were the one that knew your sister the best.”

“Look,” she said, “We just need to figure out what she meant, okay?”

“Alright, fine then, how do you suggest that we should do this then?”

“I suggest that we go about this in a calm orderly fashion and style.”

“That sounds just like what a fire safety warning hazard would say.”

“It is?” she said, “How very odd, strange, unusual, and curious too.”

“Look, we don’t have time for talking this out, we need action now.”

“I have to agree with Star Swirl on this,” Twilight said.

“Me too,” Rainbow Dash said, “Get back in the fight and battle.”

“Look,” Star Swirl said, “Whatever your sister meant to say to us, we can either figure it out later or we just hope that she can do it alone without any help at all, me personally, I’m leaning more heavily towards the second option because of many various random reasons that mostly involve visions of the future.”

“Alright, fine then, let us hope and pray that she may do so.”

And with that said they took off to fight him so that they could distract him and give Luna enough time to enact whatever plan that she had in mind.

Meanwhile Luna was trying desperately in vain to escape, but the bonds and strength of the dark magic was just too strong for her and he smiled as he held the horn closer to her, “For so long I resisted its call to use its full power and force on you, even at your very worst pain I never did that, but now I think that is well quite past time that I should, so goodbye Luna, and hello my teacher.”

And with that said he very slowly lowered the horn to her head, but before it could touch the very top of it she very quickly knocked it out of his hoof.

“WHAT?” he said with shock and surprise bringing it back as it fell to the ground with his magic before it could even hit the ground even, “YOU THINK THAT THIS CAN STOP ME? WELL THEN, YOU’RE SO VERY WRONG!”

And with that said he tried to lower it to her head but she resisted both with her magic powers and spells and her natural strength too as well.

But she couldn’t stop it, so instead she didn’t try to, instead she smiled and the pulled the horn in towards her heart. “Wait, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” he said very loudly trying to pull now, but it was too late for that, she had tricked him and the dagger was too close to her heart before he tried to pull back, and so it was that right before it pierced it that he had to use a magic spell to teleport it away from both her and him since he couldn’t stop either of them from using it. “There,” he said, “Now neither of us can use it, so you lose I guess.”

“I haven’t lost yet,” she said reaching for the horn breaking the spell over it and then plunging it deep into his chest as black (and not the typical red) blood started to pour out from his heart. He looked at this sight and then lowering himself down to the ground (since Luna had attacked him by flying) he took a few steps backwards trying to maintain his balance as he slowly lost life.

“I feel… cold,” he said just as he fell over and then died on the ground.

And with that every pony let a great cry as they shouted with great joy at this defeat and for the first time ever Luna didn’t feel scared, she felt very proud instead. But Star Swirl on the other hoof, he still felt like something was still very wrong here, but he didn’t know what, but that’s when he figured it out.

I’m in a dream, he thought, but now my own, but if I am not in my own then who’s dream am I in, and why? 

But then he remembered, he escaped from his dream after he defeated Nightmare Shadow but then also realized there that he was in a dream, and he wondered if Luna could be in a dream too and if she would recognize it, but in his haste he had forgotten to cast a spell in order to remember the past events and not forget, this time however, he did make sure to do that, and then he cried out to Luna trying to wake her up now.

“LUNA!” he said “THIS IS A DREAM! LOOK AROUND YOU? DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THIS IS REAL OR 
THAT THIS COULD EVER POSSIBLY HAPPEN?

WAKE UP! THIS ISN’T REAL AND YOUR FRIENDS NEED YOU RIGHT NO!”

And with that said Luna looked around in some slight confusion, “A dream?” she said uncertain of this. “Don’t be ridiculous or silly, this isn’t a dream, it’s better than that, this is real, so real that I think that my sister deserves to rule the whole entire kingdom alone without my help, and she can have whatever kind on nights and days she wants, long and short, so well done my sister.”
Luna then looked at her once she said this, “Now I know that this is a dream, you would never really say that or give me this, and now I also know that this is just a trick of my enemy even if I do not know how or why this is so exactly. But if he can hear me, know this, I’m coming for you, we all are now.”

And with that said Luna swung her hoof at Celestia and once it made contact the dream instantly shattered into pieces as each image of each pony started to break the moment that she did make contact. And then once the dream was broken they were now standing in the dreamscape. “Come on,” Star Swirl said, “Let’s go wake up the others, I’m sure that they are living their best moments too,” and with that said they both went into every other dream that there was.

The other dreams were similar to theirs in some way, but not exact, in each case the scene of the Elements of Chaos and Nightmare Shadow trapping Luna with magic and threatening her life were all the same (more or less), but for each respective pony that they visited each time they saw themselves as standing victorious on the battlefield with much glory and praise too.

In Celestia’s case there was also a sensitive reunion moment, and there were also sensitive moments with the others, but in Pinkie Pie’s strange mysterious unusual case she didn’t win against him, she just threw parties instead.

And in each case they had to convince each pony that they were in a dream, and it took a really very long time, but eventually they did have every pony in the dreamscape to talk. “Okay,” Star Swirl said, “You all just escaped a dream so I’ll understand your confusion, dreams don’t make sense exactly at all after all, but do know this, we may wake up, but it might be in yet another dream.”

They all groaned at this, “What do you mean by that?” Twilight said.

“Well when we were in our dreams we were all living the moments that we wished that we could to be 
happy, but I also remember that Nightmare Shadow said that we would right before we went into these dreams, and I don’t know he managed to do this just yet, but I do know that this probably isn’t the end to his trickery that he has in store for us, there still can be yet more to face.

And if we are to face it we must be ready, I have cast a spell on you just right now at this very moment so that you’ll remember this and not forget, because forgetting would be very bad for all of us. But do be warned that some events in our dreams may have actually happened like Luna getting trapped and also the Elements of Chaos, and I only say this because each time this theme, this aspect, this idea, it kept repeating itself over again exactly in each dream.”

“So wait, you’re basically saying that our bodies might be fast asleep right now unable to help Luna out, that we can’t?” Twilight said.

“Yeah, and that we’re also missing all the cool totally amazing and awesome action stuff?” Rainbow Dash said kicking her hood to demonstrate this.

“Yes, that is exactly what I am saying somehow, but come on now every pony, wake up, we need to do this for the good of Equestria, SO WAKE UP!”

And with that said every pony did and then they soon saw themselves still sitting at the table, “Ah,” Star Swirl said, “I remember now, it was the food and drink, he said to have it or that he would kill us instantly, that must be the explanation, but as to why we are still at the table, I don’t really know why.”

“You don’t think this could be a dream, do you?’ the rest said.

“Honestly, I don’t know, it could be, but let’s find out and see.”

And with said they turned their heads to the sound of hooves slow clapping, “Well done, I didn’t expect you to escape the dream so quickly, so well done indeed, but it still does not matter since midnight is almost here now.”

“Wait, did we sleep for three weeks?” Rainbow Dash and Twilight said.

“Oh don’t be ridiculous or silly, of course not, I just made time in the kingdom flow differently while you took a very short little nap, that’s all that I did.”

“And how do we know that this isn’t a dream or another trick?” Star Swirl said.

“You don’t,” he said, “But even if it was a dream, how will you escape now?”

“Simple,” Star Swirl said, “With Luna’s might and power, attack him now!”

And with that said she blasted him with a spell that would destroy him if he was a dream creature, and when it did hit him he crumbled into dust.

“I guess that this was a dream after all,” Star Swirl said, “But luckily enough for us you know that spell, right? I mean how cool and amazing is that?”

“Almost as much as me,” Rainbow Dash said.

And with that said every pony sighed and then they all closed their eyes and woke up again to see that the 
whole entire Crystal Empire was black now.

Everything had changed because darkness and fear and shadow and chaos and hate had now taken over 
the place, and that was only because of one reason, Nightmare Shadow stood on his throne in his armor wearing the crown of a king, “You’re too late,” he said, “You failed to stop me and now it’s too late, welcome to the future though, I hope that you like it and enjoy this before I kill you, because you’re not going to get that much time to spend here.”

And with that said he started to laugh in a very cold cruel way.

“Yeah,” Star Swirl said, “This is still definitely a dream.”

And with that said Luna blasted the image of him into dust.

“Do you think that this was the last layer?” she said wiping the dust off of her face and trying to clean herself up from all the dirt and grime.

(Rarity was also trying to do the same thing as well too.)

“I hope so, it would be very difficult even for him to upkeep the strength and power of more than three layers of dream just as you do, and despite what other supernatural elements and powers that he has, he still does not have more power than that which you have in the dreamscape or with the darkness and shadows and the night sky and stars. He just uses smoke and mirrors and tricks and illusions to keep us distracted and very far away from what he wants, he leads us in circles around an endless maze and he thinks that he can control out pieces and pull our strings so that his plan may fit together just like a puzzle. 

But the way he does it makes it not fun, and I don’t like ponies who play mind games and tricks on other ponies that aren’t fun.”

“I fully agree with what you just said,” Luna said.

And with that said they all closed their eyes and woke up once more again.

“OH COME ON!” Nightmare Shadow said when he saw them wake up, “YOU PONIES CAN ALWAYS SEEM TO DO THE IMPOSSIBLE WHEN LEAST EXPECTED, BUT I REALLY HAVE TO START QUESTIONING WHY AND HOW!”

“Because you do not understand the basic principles and morals of books,” both Twilight and Star Swirl said, “And if you actually read you would know that by now, but I guess that you never bothered to do that when you got back. Instead you decided to try to reclaim a lost empire and kingdom, how so very stupid and foolish of you, and for that you will now pay very dearly.”

“HOW DARE YOU?” he said, “HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT I AM STUPID AND FOOLISH WHEN IT IS YOU THAT IS THE REAL TRUE FOOL HERE!”

“The only fool is the one that does not learn their lessons whether by their own will or not or by the admission of ignorance instead,” Star Swirl said.

“I really hate it when other ponies try to use pieces of logic and wisdom on me,” Nightmare Shadow said growling, “And that means that I really hate you now.”

And with that said he started to attack them while Luna tried desperately in vain to try to escape her prison… again.

“You know you shouldn’t have ever eaten the food that I said you should eat,” he said attacking Star Swirl and Twilight and Celestia and all the other ponies at once, “I mean don’t you know anything about classic villain movie clichés?”

“Oh I do,” Star Swirl said, “And the ‘something is in the food or drink’ cliché is so very old, like really old, I mean I would have to be stupid not to see that it wasn’t coming at me and us from a mile away, and I’m not stupid, or at least not by any known standard tests that ponies have invented so far now.

But the real question is this, did you really think that I could ever possibly be that stupid? I knew that there was something in it, just not what exactly.”

“Yeah well luckily enough for you it wasn’t poison, if it was you would be dead by now, but come now, please tell me what tipped you off that it was a dream first? What gave you the first clue or hint in there anyways exactly?”

“This did,” he said pulling out a single white perfect pearl that was not flawed or scratched or damaged in any way, “In reality it is just fine, but in a dream, there is always fault with it, I put a spell on it to always make it that way.”

“Clever, but sadly enough not smart or wise enough against me.”

And with that said they continued to fight on.

> Sacrifice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile Luna grabbed the broken horn of King Sombra and tried to figure out how to escape, force wouldn’t work against it, but maybe perhaps instead persuasion would work even better against this prison. No, she thought, I don’t want to channel her, what is she takes over? What will happen to me then?

She didn’t know, but she had to try, and so she accessed a deep dark pit where a part of her that she wanted to forget but would always keep lay silent in the darkness, and while she, or rather it wasn’t quite fully awake, it’s wasn’t fully asleep either rand when Luna approached it within her mind it slowly got up to greet her. Well hello there, Luna. Have you finally come to set me free? It said.

“No,” she said, “I have come to use you, I think that I might need your help.”

How strange and ironic, you come seeking my help again, but this time you are not fully willing or ready to embrace and use my power, and for that you are very foolish and stupid. After all, didn’t you enjoy using my power last time?

“I thought that I did, but now I know better, now I can control you without letting my emotions control me, and because of that you will obey me and do as I say and command, and you will never take over my mind again.”

Don’t be so sure of that, it said with a deep angry low growl.

“Complain all you want, but you are now mine, Nightmare Moon.”

And with that said the image of herself fully awakened.

I almost thought that you had forgotten my name, it seems like I was wrong though, but what is it that you want me to do oh great and wise powerful master? It said clearly being very sarcastic at the end.

“Help me escape this prison by using your magic or perhaps maybe even talking to it, I don’t know if either option will work, but I really hope so, I need to get back to my friends, and you’re going to help me do just that.”

And with that said it growled and then said; As you wish.

And with that said Luna slowly pulled her to her waking mind very carefully and cautiously making sure that she would never ever gain control again.

And so it was that Luna now could speak as Nightmare Moon and had the same powers of her, and luckily enough for her when she tried to use her power on her prison once more again it finally broke and then she escaped.

“HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY ESCAPE?” Nightmare Shadow said when he saw her, “THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU COULD IS IF YOU USED HER!”

And then with that he smiled, “Yes, you must have used her, and I bet that she’s still in your waking mind, and if you can hear me then fight her, fight Luna’s control over you and come back to me again, please.”

“I am trying to!” Nightmare Moon shouted out of Luna’s body, “But she is very strong, I don’t know that if I can hold her, even now she is slowly gaining.”

“Well don’t let her, you are stronger than her, you have to be.”

And with that said the battle for Luna’s mind continued for quite some very long time as every pony else stopped fighting to watch in horror and hope for their friend, “Nightmare Moon?” he said when she 
stopped moving and now stood very still with her head hung down low, “Are you still there?”

“No,” Luna said raising her head very slowly, “She is not, I am in control here, I am much stronger than her now, and it seems that you were wrong about her, and about everything, after all, how could any pony be right and strong if they fail against some pony as weak as me? Unless of course I am right instead.

And maybe perhaps that is why I was stronger and therefore won.”

Nightmare Shadow staggered in shock and surprise, “No, this cannot be, I thought that you would surely fall under her power and control and influence if you used her to escape, but I was wrong, I didn’t estimate all the variables correctly, but that doesn’t matter now, midnight is almost here and I will soon rise in more power and strength unlike anything Equestria has ever seen before, even the gods themselves would bow before me.”

“Okay,” Star Swirl said, “I knew that you were crazy and stupid before, and I doubted your insanity, but now I know that you can never be reasoned with.”

“What gave you that hint or clue?” Nightmare Shadow said.

“When you started mentioning gods, that’s never a very good sign.”

And with that said Nightmare Shadow laughed a cold cruel crazy insane laugh, and he wouldn’t stop for quite some time that it eventually became awkward.

“I don’t blame you about how you think about me and also what, but while I may be all that you say, you are not all that others claim you to be.”

“You’re right,” Twilight said, “We’re much smarter than you.”

“And much stronger than you as well,” Applejack said.

“We’re kinder than you,” Fluttershy said very nervously.

“And also even more awesome and braver than you,” Rainbow Dash said.

“We’re much wiser than you,” Star Swirl said very calmly.

“And we’re more generous and inspired than you,” Rarity said.

“More fun than you are!’ Pinkie Pie said chewing on some treats.

“And more loyal than you are or ever will be,” Flash Sentry said.

“And we are a family, and we’re much better than you are,” Celestia said.

“Wow, did you rehearse that before you got here because that is really quite impressive and is very well done,” Nightmare Shadow said to all of them.

“But sadly enough your sentiment alone will not be enough to save you.”

“No, it won’t,” Luna said from behind him holding the broken horn to her heart ready to stab herself with 
it, “But I can if you don’t surrender to us right now.”

Nightmare Shadow looked very nervous and even trembled with some fear when she did this for some kind of strange mysterious unexplained reason.

“Calm down there,” he said, “You won’t really do this, you’re bluffing.”

“Oh really, am I?” she said cutting herself with the horn as he winced in some pain, “I don’t make bluffs, I only make threats and promises.”

“And you keep both, I know,” he said, “But please consider what you’re doing.”

“Sister,” Celestia said, “What are you doing? Is this part of your plan?”

“It is sister, but you have to understand that none of you are part of the plan anymore, but the only way 
that Equestria can be saved now is by me alone.

You cannot help, so please stay back and accept that which will happen.”

And with that said she turned back to Nightmare Shadow, “End this now or you will never get the chance to ever see her again, end this madness and stop your pointless futile quest and goal, give up this dream and 
have me instead.”

After she finished speaking he had a look of deep thought and contemplation on his face, but that was 
soon replaced with something else instead.

“But do I want you? After all, you taught me that love is a weakness and that I should get rid of all my weaknesses, and that is what I will do once midnight has come, but now I am starting to doubt all that I know, so the only real question now is if your threat means anything anymore at all.”

“It still does,” she said, “I know that you want to save me no matter what.”

“Maybe, perhaps, but at what cost? If I let them live then there would always be something to hold you back and quite possibly even return you to like this again, and I cannot have that when I rule, so I’m sorry, but the answer is no.”

“That’s such a shame, but also the answer I was kind of hoping for,” Luna said as she then suddenly plunged the horn right into her heart.

“NO!” both Celestia and Nightmare Shadow said as they leapt for her.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” Nightmare Shadow said stepping backwards and as soon as he did so a black storm cloud suddenly appeared over his head and then started to pour down rain on him “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?”

“Me?” Luna said very softly in the embrace of her sister, “No, it is not me who did this to you, it was all you from the very start up on the moon.”

“BUT HOW?” he said burying his head in some clouds.

“Because I have changed, and you didn’t listen to me.”

And with that said he let out a great cry of agony and pain as his body slowly started to dissolve into tiny little black bits and pieces of dust and shadow.

“Return to that which you once were, which was dust from the moon.”

And with that said he slowly started to dissolve, but it took a really long time, so much so that he had enough time to do a whole entire speech.

“You think that just because you have beaten me now that I cannot return?

That I shall not? The darkness and shadow will always return with the fear of the nightmare to spread chaos, and just because I’m going to die and fail now doesn’t mean that you can’t pay, and I’ll start with your older sister Luna!”

And with that said he sent a death spell towards her, but she quickly blocked it away from her only to launch itself at Star Swirl.

“What the-?” he said as he quickly deflected it away.

“It won’t stop unless it hits something living!” Nightmare Shadow said as it went through the air towards Twilight who then also deflected it away.

But that was when it finally found a target to hit.

But who was it you ask? Flash Sentry, that’s who it was.

It went through the air towards him and suddenly the whole world seemed to go into slow motion, but it was too late for them as it hit him.

“FLASH!” Twilight said running over to him as rain slowly poured down all around them (which seemed very appropriate for the moment and time).

“No,” she said leaning over his body, “No, I can’t lose you.”

“Don’t cry for me,” he said as his face turned gray, “Be happy, and know that I always did love you Twilight,” and with that said his body turned into dust,”

“That was number ten,” Nightmare Shadow said, “Soon it will be eleven.”

“What do you mean by that exactly?” Celestia said while Twilight still stood over the ‘body’ of Flash Sentry still crying to herself very silently.

“Don’t you remember? I said that eleven would die tonight, he was number ten, and granted I didn’t and still don’t know who is dead exactly now.”

“You are an utterly despicable monster,” Celestia said.

He smiled, “Only to your perceived thought and mind I am that, but if I had completed my goal and quest then I would be seen as a hero by many instead.”

“I still don’t know how you can be so misguided,” Celestia said.

“Perhaps maybe it is the same reason as to why you think the way that you do, it’s the way that we were raised and taught, and then we thought based upon what we were inspired by most and then took away 
what we liked and loved and also enjoyed, and soon enough we expanded upon that becoming even better and stronger and having more power and knowledge. And that is why we are the way that we are, we were formed and shaped that way, because you see monsters and heroes aren’t born, they’re made, even if only in one day.”

“So basically what you’re saying is that perceived thought is much stronger than reality,” Celestia asked him very curious as to what the answer could be.

“Yes and no, it can be, but sometimes reality just takes over and ruins life, just like I can and have, but don’t worry, I will only torture you for your whole entire life within your memories and dreams, for I will always live in there.

And the real truth about death, you don’t ever really die, you just sleep forever, and think about that, if you sleep then you dream, but you can also have a nightmare too, and that’s what I will be to you, an eternal nightmare shadow.

I will always haunt you, and no matter what you try the horrors of what you have seen and down will always live deep down inside you lying within.

I may be dying, but in some ways I will also be living too.”

And with that said he stood still (since he couldn’t move anymore after he cast the death spell) and waited for his end to come to him eventually.

“At least my death won’t mean nothing,” Luna said, “Yours will mean almost nothing except victory, but me, I will live on forever within the moon itself.”

Nightmare Shadow said nothing except for this, “There is no victory without sacrifice,” and with that said he remained silent and perfectly still.

Soon enough the wound took its toll on Luna and she took her last breath in and then her last breath out. 

And as she did Nightmare Shadow then dissolved completely all at once with his body first and then his cold cruel eyes last.

And that image alone was enough to haunt all of them forever now.

“What do you think happened to them?” Rarity said curiously.

“I honestly don’t know,” she said crying over her sister’s body and cradling her head very gently and softly, “But I hope that she is in a happy place that is better, perhaps maybe she is among the stars even now, but as for him, who knows, perhaps he has no afterlife, but if he does I sincerely really hope that it is his worst nightmare, after all, he doesn’t deserve to be happy after what he did,” and with that said every pony remained silent as they mourned the loss of their friends, and eventually the rain stopped pouring down gently and softly as the new sun started to rise on the horizon signaling a new era.

> Nightmare Shadow's Nightmare
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile Nightmare Shadow didn’t know where he was at first, and he could not remember either, but then he saw her, Nightmare Moon, she was here.

“Thank goodness you’re here,” he said, “I was worried that something went wrong there for a second, but I am sure glad to see you here.”

“Why?” she said, “I am your enemy after all.”

“Wait, what?” he said as she transformed into Chris.

“We had planned on using him or me, but we discarded it, but now we bring him back again once more for this eternal nightmare, so enjoy, oh wait, never mind, you aren’t supposed to say this,” a strange new voice said.

“WHO ARE YOU?” he shouted, “AND WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH ME?”

“Me? I’m just your jailer, here to make sure that you suffer in pain for your actions, but don’t worry, the pain might end eventually, but when it does I’ll just have to think of something new and creative, which I am very good at, it’s why they hired me after all, and I can’t wait to have fun playing with you.”

And with that said Nightmare Shadow screamed in pain and agony as the voice laughed in a cold cruel voice that echoed around the walls of the ‘room’.

> Luna's Dream
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meanwhile Luna also didn’t know where she was, was this the moon?

No, it was too bright for that, no, this was different, but it also seemed so very familiar, could this be what she thought it was? Surely it wasn’t, but it was.

She was on a star within a whole realm of stars, and it was beautiful, and then she saw images and memories of her parents with her there in the stars.

And then she smiled for she was happy and finally at peace now.

> The Funeral/ Last Words
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The new day finally came and they all had to leave, but they made sure that the bodies would receive the proper funeral, all of them, even Flash Sentry.

It was quite a nice funeral, and the whole entire kingdom came to see the body of Luna as it was put into the coffin and then not buried in the ground, but instead was sent off into space and whether to went to the moon or the sun or a star no pony knew, but Celestia said it is what her sister would have wanted.

And then the time came for them to say their final words of remembrance.

“I didn’t always treat my sister the way that I should have,” Celestia began, “And as most of you know that caused her to rebel, but despite all her faults and falls, I still loved her even if she thought that I didn’t care for her.

But no matter what happened between us we always were together, but now we’re not, and now I have no idea what will happen to us or to her either.

Is she in a happy place that’s better? I don’t know, but I hope so, and I have to have faith in that otherwise I’ll just crumble under my emotions, and I cannot let that happen, I will not allow that. But know this, I will be and remain strong with your help and all the help and support and love of my friends. But I will also not let her die in vain or ever be forgotten again, when you look up in the moon tonight don’t think about me raising it, think about my sister, whenever you see the stars think of my sister, when the night and darkness and shadows come, think of my sister, think of all the good that she did, and think about how much that she failed in, but also how many times she was forgiven too.

Any pony can be forgiven of their mistakes and falls are just a part of ignorance and no matter what they did it can be passed through with help, hope, faith, and love, and perhaps maybe even your friends. So my little ponies, always remember the night, always remember the stars, akways remember the moon.

Always remember my sister.”

And with that said she stopped and then the crowd clapped politely.

Then the next one to go up was Twilight Sparkle.

“I didn’t know Luna as well as Celestia, but I still did understand her, and although I may not know the names of every pony who died today, Celestia does, she told me so before she went up to talk, she just forgot to mention that, but now I can remember their names because she can remember and care, and so can I, and what are their names you ask? Well let me tell you even though you probably already know, they were Vinyl Scratch, Octavia Melody, Sweetie Drops, Lyra Heartstrings, Roseluck, Moondancer, Lemon Cake, Carrot Top, Minuette, and Finally Flash Sentry. And I knew some of these ponies, and even if I didn’t know them that well they still meant something to some pony out there, did they have friends, family? I don’t know for all of them, but I can say yes for some of them, but they all did have hopes and dreams, and they all had ideas and thoughts that they wanted to share even if they couldn’t ever do so.

And their loss is going to affect Equestria for a long time, so remember them too, they didn’t die in vain if you will remember them, and though they may have died out of pure spite and hatred and anger and fury and wrath, we will still love them for who they were and what they stood for always.

So that’s my message to you I guess, always remember the real heroes.”

And with that said the crowd applauded again and she stepped down to make room for the next pony who was Rarity as it turned out to be then.

“These ponies all had very beautiful special talents and faces, and I am sure that Equestria will indeed mourn the loss of such beauty, that is all.”

And with that said the crowd applauded at her very short speech as the next pony went up to the stand, and it was Rainbow Dash who now spoke.

“Look,” she said, “I don’t know what to say here at all really exactly, but I do know that Flash Sentry, he was loyal and brave until the end, and that always counts for something, and I’m sure that Equestria has lost a great hero.”

And with that said she flew off leaving the stand to Applejack as the crowd applauded, and after they finished she started to speak up.

“I honestly don’t know what to say either, I didn’t really know these ponies either, but I just want to say that I hope they were happy before they died, and in the end that’s all that any pony can really ask for, to die 
happy.”

And with that said she stepped off leaving the stage to Fluttershy.

“Um, I don’t really want to speak,” she said in front of the huge big wide vast crowd, “But I just wanted to say that I believe that they were all very kind.”

And with that said she left leaving the stage to the last speaker, Star Swirl.

“What makes a hero?” he said, “I have heard many say and speak of great heroes, but what really makes one? Is it their principles, their morals, their values, or is it perhaps maybe their motivation, their drive, their dreams, their passion? I guess that you could say a hero is a bit of all of these, because they will never give up on any of their dreams or passions, and they will make their thoughts and ideas happen, in that regard you could say a villain is a hero, but they’re not, and that’s because a villain is one we see as potentially harmful to society thus creating a negative effect and result. But the truth is that there is no such thing as a hero or villain, there’s just ponies doing what they think is good because somehow in some strange mysterious way they believe that what they are doing is right, and that’s why there’s no such thing as an objective good or evil, because they are based upon our thoughts and ideas and actions and they change when our perception of reality changes. Because you see ‘heroes’ and ‘monsters’ and ‘villains’, they’re all made into what they are, they aren’t ever born that way, they’re formed and shaped into something terrible.

But we still do nothing to change that, we don’t change how we think or act or what we say, so the real question here is this, who is the real monster here, them or us? For if we do not change, how can we expect them to ever do that?

So next time before you act, think, and then choose very wisely.”

And with that said he went to sat down as the crowd applauded politely.

And then the time came for the rest of the bodies in the coffins to be lowered into their place in the ground with magic, and then every pony tossed in a bit of dirt and then the rest was filled in with magic and shovels.

And soon enough they were all buried and then every pony left very slowly to go home, but as for the group who fought Nightmare Shadow, they didn’t really know where to go so instead they went to the Canterlot Gardens to watch the fountains spray up their majestic glorious water. And as they watched they slowly all began to have an idea of where they wanted to go now and what to do next, but they didn’t speak it because of some unspoken arrangement however. Star Swirl wanted to teach and not be isolated and alone anymore.

Twilight just wanted to go home and read some books until she was over the death of Flash, but she knew that she couldn’t do that, but perhaps maybe she would teach too, she still wasn’t sure what to do yet exactly.

Celestia wanted to eat some cake and mourn and weep, but there would be some other royal regal matters to deal with when she got back, how annoying.

And so every pony left each other in silence one by one until it was just Star Swirl who was left there to contemplate the beauty and gift of life and the wonder of the sight before him, and then he too eventually left.